З120
КАК (БУДТО, СЛОВНО, ТОЧНО) СКВОЗЬ ЗЕМЛЮ ПРОВАЛИЛСЯПРОВАЛИВАТЬСЯ/ ПРОВАЛИТЬСЯ СКВОЗЬ ЗЕМЛЮ all
coll (как
etc + VP,
usu. pfv past (1st
var. )VP with
subj:
human, animal, or
concr (2nd
var. )the verb is
usu. in the final position (1st
var. )) to disappear unexpectedly, leaving no trace
X как сквозь землю провалился - it is as if the earth had swallowed X (up)
it is as if X had been swallowed up by the earthX has (seems to have) vanished into thin air (from the face of the earth).